Recently confirmed US Secretary of State John Kerry called President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday and discussed Pakistan-US relationship.

State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland in Wednesday’s press briefing said that Kerry, who enjoys longstanding relationships with a number of Pakistani leaders, used the opportunity to “underscore the continuing importance of an effective, strong, and mutually beneficial US-Pakistani relationship.”

Nuland said that Kerry emphasised that Pakistan and the US have many shared interests including fighting terrorism and extremism, supporting democratic civilian institutions and supporting Pakistan’s efforts to increase its economic growth.

The two also discussed the shared interest in regional stability, including a secure and peaceful future for Afghanistan, the spokesperson said.
“He [Kerry] noted our ongoing interest in finding a concrete way to act jointly in support of all of these goals, and he made clear that he looks forward to working with President Zardari going forward.”